6 Tips for Producing Quality Kampung Chicken Day-Old Chicks

Kampung chicken (Indonesian free-range native chicken) is the easiest type to raise because its immune system is stronger than that of other chickens. Even with that strong immunity, you still need to pay attention to several other factors so the birds grow and develop well. One factor behind a successful chicken farm is quality day-old chicks (DOC). You can get DOC from experienced farmers, or you can produce them yourself. Buying DOC isn't cheap, and the better the quality, the higher the price. To keep operating costs from ballooning, you can produce your own DOC. Here are tips for producing quality kampung chicken DOC:

Quality Breeding Hens

The quality of the offspring depends on the parent stock, which is why many people are willing to spend a lot to get quality breeders. This applies not only to chickens but to other domestic animals too, such as cats, horses and goats. Quality parents produce quality offspring. So if you want quality kampung chicken stock, choose breeders that are already of proven quality. You can find them at kampung chicken farms run by local villagers or at commercially managed farms.

Also read 3 Ways to Produce Quality Kampung Chicken DOC

Quality Feed

Another way to produce quality kampung chicken DOC is to give your birds quality feed. Even though kampung chickens are the easiest to feed, don't feed them carelessly, because that feed is what will help them produce quality hatching eggs. Give feed that is high in energy and protein, and never give stale leftover feed, because it can cause digestive problems in chickens.

An Ideal Coop

These hens will be laying eggs, so you need to build an ideal coop for them. A coop for laying kampung hens must be warm, tightly built and sturdy so the rain can't get in, among other things. Most importantly, the coop must have warm straw inside. Without straw, the coop won't be ideal.

Laying in the Coop

Kampung chickens need a free-range area where they can stretch their muscles and stay healthier. A ranging area is very good for the birds' health. Unfortunately, some chickens inevitably wander off from the coop. Worse still, if a hen doesn't come back and lays her eggs just anywhere, you lose both the eggs and the hen. So train your hens to lay inside the coop.

Handle the Eggs with Care

Once the eggs are laid, you need to handle them properly. Rough handling can lower their quality. Collect the eggs promptly after laying so the hens don't step on them. Some hens even become stressed after laying and then damage their own eggs with their beaks.

Sort the Eggs

You can collect the eggs in a litter coop. Clean the litter every morning and afternoon so germs and bacteria don't build up in the coop. To keep them from spoiling, the collected eggs need special handling so they hatch at the right time. After that, sort them into eggs of good quality and eggs that aren't.

Producing quality DOC isn't easy, because it takes several special steps to preserve egg quality. The higher the quality of your DOC, the closer your farm is to success. Follow the methods above to produce top-quality kampung chicken DOC.

Also read 6 Ways to Build a DOC Coop the Right Way